The Influence of Faith in Colonial American Literature
Did you ever wish that you could sway a group of people to do or think something in particular just by what you say or write? There are techniques to persuasion, and you will learn them in this module! Not only that, but you will learn the uses of speeches and persuasive writing; how to use non-literal language to enhance interest; and how speakers and authors reference well-known people, places, and events, and historic and religious works of literature, architecture, and art to enhance understanding.
By studying famous historic and literary pieces, you can also see how some of them used persuasion and creative writing to sway the reader or audience toward a specific viewpoint. In this module, you will see how religion influenced Colonial American writers and how their beliefs shaped their writing and made many of their literary pieces tools of persuasion. You will also learn about Native American culture and beliefs during the same time period.
Some of the authors you will see in this module are famous historic figures, and others are less known. You will learn how historical contributors affected the literature of the time period and visa versa. You may also realize that the historical writings are even relevant in today’s world. As you look at these works, and create some of your own, you will build your vocabulary and grammar skills in order to better express yourself and maybe even persuade others!
Getting Started
Using a source on the Internet or in a local library, do a quick search of famous American speeches. Use a credible source from a database or a site ending in .edu, .org, or .gov. Choose a speech that appeals to you. Read it, and then critique it. This should not be a lengthy or formal critique. Just think about a few of the following ideas and write what you think about the speech in your journal. If you need assistance on writing a journal entry, please visit the Developmental Module for more information.
- To whom is the author speaking? In other words, who is the audience of the speech? (Describe characteristics of the type of person the speech is addressing.)
- Do you think the language is appropriate for the time, place, and audience?
- What is the speaker trying to say?
- What do you like about the speech?
- What do you not like about it?
- Does the speech’s tone interest you and make you want to hear it?
- Do you feel persuaded to feel or act as the speaker wants you to?
Once you have completed your journal entry, please save it with a file name of mod3_speech and submit it to the journal dropbox.
Key Vocabulary
To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.
| acquiesce | insidious | personification |
| allusion | kairos | plain style |
| archetype | loath | propaganda |
| arduous | logos | pun |
| emotional appeals | magnanimity | recompense |
| ethos | manifest | redress |
| exigence | manifold | rhetoric |
| fallacy | metaphor | simile |
| figurative language | mollified | subjugation |
| hyperbole | omnipotent | sundry |
| idiom | oral tradition | unalienable |
| imagery | pathos | understatement |
| ineffable | peril | usurpations |
| infallibility | persevere | vigilant |